Country Profiles (Asia Region)

Wish to know about our work in the countries of Asia?

The regional and country profiles provide a recent overview of what we do across our implementing countries in the Asia region, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, the Philippines and Thailand. We highlight our projects, achievements, major donors and partnerships. Take a look.

Asia Region

Nearly 28 million children in Asia are engaged in child labour. Many work in agriculture, mining, and domestic work under unsafe and exploitative conditions driven by poverty, migration, and conflict. Alongside labour exploitation, children—especially those in poverty, conflict, or on the streets—face high risks of sexual abuse and trafficking. In Asia, sexual exploitation occurs through early marriage, tourism, and online means such as grooming, extortion, and live streaming.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a rapidly growing economy, is one of the most densely populated countries in Asia. The nation is home to nearly 40 million children, among whom 1.1 million are engaged in hazardous work. Children are also extremely vulnerable to and affected by sexual exploitation in child marriage, child trafficking and in online environments. 51.4% of girls aged between 20-24 were married before the age of 18, and children face sexual exploitation in conflict-prone areas and other vulnerable contexts. Around 59% of the children who use the internet in rural areas of Bangladesh have suffered at least one form of abuse in online spaces.

Cambodia

Cambodia, a socio-economically vulnerable country in Southeast Asia, faces significant child protection challenges. Children are at risk of sexual exploitation in travel and tourism, forced labour, trafficking, and unsafe migration. Online exploitation is also a growing concern. 1 in 10 children in the country experiences online sexual abuse and exploitation. Limited awareness of online risks, inadequate reporting mechanisms, and gaps in positive parenting further heighten children’s vulnerability in digital spaces. Exploitation is also prevalent among children in detention centres who are in conflict with the law.

India

India has close to 431 million children. While the country is the fourth-largest economy in the world, socio-economic disparities are widespread. India has the largest number of early married girls in the world, and the 2011 National Census reported that 10.1 million children are engaged in child labour. Adolescent girls in India suffer persistent vulnerability with gender-based violence and a high rate of secondary school dropouts. The country is home to the second-largest number of internet users across the globe, and children’s vulnerability to sexual extortion and child sexual abuse material is growing at an exponential rate. 

Nepal

40% of Nepal’s population is under the age of 18. The country is one of the economically vulnerable nations in South Asia. 222,000 children are found to be engaged in child labour in hazardous conditions. Children in Nepal are extremely vulnerable to sexual exploitation arising out of prevalent unsafe migration, trafficking, child marriage and online sexual abuse and exploitation. Nepal is a tier-3 country under the Global Cyber Security Index 2024, reflecting a relatively unsafe online environment. Cases of online grooming by foreign tourists and live streaming of child sexual abuse material are major risks faced by children. 

Philippines

The Philippines, a nation comprising 7,641 islands, is home to nearly 42 million children. The socio-economic vulnerabilities of the country place children at major risk of sexual exploitation, forced labour and child trafficking. The rate of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) is alarming. 20% of children using the internet in the Philippines are reported to have faced online sexual abuse and exploitation. Children with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC) are also highly vulnerable to OCSE. Close to 1.37 million are engaged in child labour, with 61.9% working in agriculture.

Thailand

Thailand is a regional hub of Asia and a popular tourist destination. This makes way for large in-migration specifically involving children. As a result, children are vulnerable to trafficking, other forms of sexual exploitation and forced labour. Children living on the street are also exposed to substance abuse which often forces them into sex work. Online grooming by foreign tourists is another major child protection concern. Approximately 400,000 children aged 12-17 are affected by online sexual exploitation per year in Thailand.